Hildebrandt in Matteo Pellicone finals, Conder, Anthony, Shai and Snyder aim for bronze

ROME, Italy – Making her debut at a new weight class, Sarah Hildebrandt picked up three impressive wins on her way to the 50 kg finals of the Matteo Pellicone International in Rome, Italy, on Friday.

2018 World silver medalist Hildebrandt came out strong with a first-period pin against Ana Torres Rubio of Spain in the opening round.

In the quarterfinals, Hildebrandt took on USA teammate and two-time World Team member Victoria Anthony.

It was a back-and-forth battle with multiple lead changes. Hildebrandt struck first with a takedown, but Anthony responded quickly with a four-pointer to put Hildebrandt to her back. Hildebrandt scored a reversal and leg lace to take a 5-4 lead into the break.

In the second period, Anthony scored quickly on a step out for the lead on criteria, but Hildebrandt eventually picked up a takedown on the edge for a 7-5 victory.

To secure her spot in the finals, Hildebrandt defeated Devi Nirmala of India, with a dominant 8-2 win.

For gold, Hildebrandt will face two-time Senior World silver medalist Emilia Vuc of Romania.

There are three USA wrestlers competing for bronze later today, including women’s freestylers Whitney Conder, Victoria Anthony and Katherine Shai and men’s freestyler Kyle Snyder.

Anthony and five-time World Team member Whitney Conder will wrestle for a bronze medal at 50 kg.

Conder advanced to the semifinals of the weight, falling to Vuc in a close 2-1 battle. For bronze, she will face 2018 Senior World bronze medalist Oksana Livach of Ukraine, and Anthony will take on Nirmala of India.

At 53 kg, Katherine Shai dropped her first bout to Luisa Valverde of Ecuador, but in repechage, she battled back to earn a spot in the bronze match, pinning two-time University World medalist Samantha Stewart of Canada after trailing 5-3.

In her bronze match, Shai will go against Meng Hsieh of Taipei.

The lone men’s freestyler to make it to a medal match on Friday was Kyle Snyder, a 2016 Olympian and two-time World champion. Snyder lost to 2019 World Military Games champion and 2014 World bronze winner Mohammad Mohammadian of Iran in the quarterfinals.

In repechage, Snyder was pitted against Nittany Lion Wrestling Club teammate Bo Nickal, who also fell to Mohammadian earlier in the day. However, Snyder was awarded the win by forfeit to advance to the bronze match. There he will face 2018 Senior World bronze medalist Abraham Conyedo Ruano of Italy.

Other athletes that competed for the USA today but were eliminated after the first session are Areana Villaescusa at 53 kg in women’s freestyle and Bo Nickal at 97 kg, Hayden Zillmer at 97 kg and Tony Nelson at 125 kg in men’s freestyle.

Medal matches will take place Friday at noon ET live on Flowrestling.org.

MATTEO PELLICONE INTERNATIONAL

at Rome, Italy (UWW Ranking Series)

Men’s freestyle results
97 kg: Kyle Snyder (Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC)
WIN Iliskhan Chilayev (Kazakhstan), 10-0
WIN Ibrahim Bolukbasi (Turkey), 12-4
LOSS Mohammadhossein Mohammadian (Iran), fall 4:33
WIN Bo Nickal (USA), forfeit
vs. Abraham Conyedo Ruano (Italy)

97 kg: Bo Nickal (Nittany Lion WC) – eliminated
WIN Georg Stark Seregelyi (Germany), 11-1
LOSS Mohammadhossein Mohammadian (Iran), 10-0
WIN Alisher Yergali (Kazakhstan), 13-12
LOSS Kyle Snyder (USA), forfeit

97 kg: Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC RTC) - eliminated
WIN Valerr Andriitsevv (Ukraine), 2-2
LOSS Abraham Conyedo Ruano (Italy), 6-5

125 kg: Tony Nelson (Gopher WC RTC) - eliminated
LOSS Nick Mathuin (Germany), 5-4

Women’s freestyle results
50 kg: Sarah Hildebrandt (New York AC/USOPTC)
WIN Ana Torres Rubio (Spain), fall 1:33
WIN Victoria Anthony (USA), 7-5
WIN Devi Nirmala (India), 8-2
vs. Emilia Vuc (Romania)

50 kg: Whitney Conder (Army WCAP)
WIN Jacqueline Mollocana Eleno (Ecuador), 7-4
WIN Milana Dadasheva (Russia), fall 5:54
LOSS Emilia Vuc (Romania), 2-1
vs. Oksana Livach (Ukraine)

50 kg: Victoria Anthony (Sunkist Kids)
WIN Tabatha Grunewald (France), 10-0
LOSS Sarah Hildebrandt (USA), 7-5
WIN Ana Torres Rubio (Spain), 10-0
vs. Devi Nirmala (India)

53 kg: Katherine Shai (Titan Mercury WC)
LOSS Luisa Valverde (Ecuador), fall 2:52
WIN Samantha Stewart (Canada), fall 4:48
vs. Meng Hsieh (Taipei)

53 kg: Areana Villaescusa (Army WCAP) – eliminated
LOSS Annika Wendle (Germany), fall 5:30